Personal Identity in the Era of Remote Living. Avatars in the Theatre of Cyberreal Life

Abstract

The article deals with issues related to human participation in cyberspace in the context of the problem of personal identity and the challenges associated with remote forms of communication. The research perspective is based on the notion of the theatricality of life, in matters such as self-expression and self-creation as well as with regard to social coexistence. Digital technologies gave rise to new opportunities for self-representation, enabling individuals to shape their identities in more decentralized and fragmented ways. The article focuses on aspects of digital presence such as conditions of avatarization, the avatar-user relationship, and digital forms of self-expression. The article suggests that one of the main challenges people face in a digitally mediated world is to maintain a coherent sense of self. It requires embracing a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding of personal identity, which takes into account the individual’s entanglement in relationality (with oneself, with one's avatars, and with other people).